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Thursday, 7 March 2013

The Ditchling Devil 200 Perm

Cycling in Richmond Park before the cars get in is like being the only swimmer in a swimming pool.

Richmond Park at dawn

It took a while to get out of the park again though, because I seem to have been ahead of the 'opening of gates' schedule. It was great to see the deer wondering about.

I found this ride much harder than the Poor Student the other week. I had to watch the time and keep going. This was probably due to the headwind going south and from Turners Hill, it got quite cold. Think of the benefits I told myself! I had bruised my left foot in a fall earlier in the week, so it needed icing. My feet definitely got the cold treatment.

It was little weird to cycle past the Burstow Scout hut. That is something from the FNRttC world. So it was strange to see it in daylight.

I was very happy with my bike. I was over the moon! Because I hadn't ridden it since the Kiwi Hunt 1200 February 2012. The bike had been in a dismantled state since the flight back from New Zealand. Just looking at the bike hanging in the shed kept bringing back memories of pain, darkness and hallucinations. But I finally took the bike to the Bikehub. Mike and David helped bring it back into a rideable state and more! It now has a pannier rack, so it's on the way to become a tourer bike which I'll use on the pilgrimage. The pilgrimage is less than 3 months away! Thank you so much to Mike and David for helping me out.

The ride back from Brighton is wonderful. I might keep that route on my GPS for when I feel inclined to ride back after a FNRttC. It's a really nice route through rolling countryside.

A highlight was Devil's Dyke. Amazing how I've never been on that side of the downs before. The views, despite it being a grey day, were excellent. And of course, it was the halfway point, with the prospect of a tailwind. No comedy moments to report this time.

I indulged in my craving for chips after finishing. No salt 'n vinegar thanks.

Many thanks to Paul Stewart for organising this perm. The calendar event is on in June.